Fluid coupling element



June 3, 1952 o. M. KOSKINEN 2,599,461

FLUID COUPLING ELEMENT Filed Jan. 23. 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET l I .INVENZ'OR. Av! MO K0KINEN June 1952 o. M. KOSKINEN FLUID COUPLING ELEMENT 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Jan. 25, 1948 INVNTOR. GM 2/; o Newman! Patented June 3, 1 952 UlTED' srAres PATENT OFFICE FLUID COUPLING ELEMENT Olavi M.,'Koskinen, ,Detroit, Mich., assignor to i Y 7 Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich., a

corporation of Delaware Application January 23, 1948, Serial No. 3,996

- fsciaims. (01. 103-115) formed from sheet metal..components, in the interest of economy, and include a vanecarrier or support having an annular dished section in which a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced. fluid passage-forming vanes are seated.

An object of the invention is the provision of an improved arrangement forsecuring .the vanes to the carrier or support thereforand moreparticularly to provide an arrangement in which a vane retainer is secured to the vane carrier and is so structurally interlocked with the vanes as to prevent displacement thereof in a direction circumferentially and in .a directionnormal to the latter direction. More specifically the in-' vention provides. a vane retainer having a plurality of tabs or spacers respectively disposed between adjacent vanes and acting thereon to prevent displacement thereof; and to provide a retainer having notches respectively receiving the vanes, and a tab at each notch engaging the vane received therein.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a structural connection between the vane retainer and carrier which effectively resists the tendency of these parts toseparate under the influence f centrifugal forcedeveloped during operation of the coupling.

It is desirable in a fluid coupling to control the flow of fluid between the passages of the impeller and runner structures by. means of a baflle, for example, and a further object of the invention is the provision of a vane retainer as aforesaid which also functions as a baffle.

Another object of the invention is to provide improvements in the method of making a vane structure, forexample a fluid coupling rotor, the method being particularly directed to securing vanes to a carrier therefor by a retainer and comprising the feature of utilizing the vanes when positioned relative to the carrier as an implement for cutting or notching the retainer into vane retaining tongues.

Other objects and advantages'of .theinvention will be more apparent fromthe'following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectionalview in side elevation illustrating a fluid coupling embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevationalview, partly in section, taken on line 272 .of Fig. 1.

Fig- 3 is a fragmentary elevational View taken as indicated by. line .33 of Fig. lwith a part thereof broken away. .to

structure.

Fig. 4is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, further illustrating the show the underlying assembly of the vanes, vane supportandretainer at the inner diameter of the coupling rotor.

Fig. .5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the.

assembly of the vanes, vane support and retainer at the inner diameter of .the coupling driven rotor.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentaryperspective view, partly in section, illustrating apparatus for. effecting the assembly shown in Fig. 4. i

Fig. v is a view similar to Fi .6 inseam the. apparatus for. effecting the assembly shown thanthat illustrated herein.

The fluid coupling and friction clutch are shown in a housing ID, the coupling including an annular casing II which may be formed by two parts welded together as at [2, and secured toa driving shaft l3 by bolts [4 forrotation'th'erewith. Inasmuch as'the fluid coupling functions as a flywheel, the same is provided with a ring gear [5. y The casing H has a dished section .to which is secured, asby. welding, a vane carrier, or support [6 having an annular dished section, an annular flange ll extending radially inwardly from the latter adjacent the inner diameter. of the carrier, and an annular terminal flange Illextending generally axially. Seated in the dished section of the carrier l6 are a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced vanes I9,

2| abutting and securdga s by welding, to the carrier intermediate the inner and outer diameters of the later. The inner end of each vane is has a tab 22 abutting the carrier l6 adjacent the inner diameter, it being understood that the tabs 20, 2|, 22 of each vane are disposed in the space between the latter and an adjacent vane. The foregoing construction constitutes the impeller structure or driving rotor of the coupling which is driven directly from the shaft l3.

The inner ends of the vanes [9 are secured to the carrier 16 by an annular retainer 23 which abuts the carrier flange I! and is welded thereto. The retainer extends over the edge of the vanes l9 and is notched at the free edge thereof at those portions thereof respectively registering with the vanes IE! to receive the latter. That portion of the material displaced in forming each notch constitutes a tongue 24 which overlies an edge of the registering vane. This notching of the retainer provides aplurality of tongues 25 respectively registering with the space between adjacent vanes, eachtongue 25 being deflected to overlie and engage that. vanextab 22 which lies in the aforesaid. registering space between adjacent vanes. The tongues 25 prevent circumferential displacement of the vanes and formia structural interlock between the vanes and the retainer which is in turn secured to the carrier. In order to insure against displacement of the retainer relative to the carrier under the influence of centrifugal force developed during operation of the coupling, the retainer 23 at the inner diameter thereof. hasa flange 23., which extends over and abutstheradiallyinner periphery of the carrier flange [8. In effect, the flanges l1, l8 and adjacent portionof the dished section of the carrier define incrosssection an axiallyopening. channel which isnested. in a. correspondingly open chan- 35 to flange 32. Thus the carrier, vanes and member 34 are rotatably connected to shaft 33.

The member 34 has a part which extends radially inwardly over the edge of the vanes 21 at the inner ends thereof and over the space between adjacent vanes and is notched at each vane to receive the latter and to provide relatively small tongues 35 respectively registering with an abutting such vane edge, and a plurality of relatively large tongues 36 which respectively extend into the space between adjacent vanes. The tongues 36 retain the inner ends of the vanes 21 against circumferential-displacement and the engage- 'ment of each vane edge by its registering tongues nel defined. by the retainer and this provides a form of structural interlock operable to prevent relative separation of the carrier and retainer under the influence of centrifugal force.

The centrifugal force .developed. during operation. 'of. the .impeller or driving rotor tends to. de-

flect the carrier L8 radially outwardly at theouter. diameter thereof and this produces a tendency of.

the vanes, lfltoirock or fulcrum about an. axis at the intermediate tabs 21, witha resulting. tendencyofltheinner. ends of. the vanes .l'flitomovein a directiongenerally longitudinally of. theaxis of rotation ofthe. impeller. or. driving rotor,. thatv is, to theright as fvriewedin Fig. l. Thistendency is opposed. by the retainerthrough the tongues. 24

acting on the edges of the registering vanes and the tongues 25 acting. on the vane tabs 22. Any tendency of thevanes l9.to move generally radially outwardly willbe resisted bythetongues 25.

acting on thetabsZ22.

The runner structure. or driven rotor of the and outer diameters of the latter. A third tab-3llof each vane abuts the carrier 26 adjacentthe inner diameter thereof. The carrier has'anannular flange 3| which overlaps a flange 32 of a hollow shaft 33. An annular member 3f4-has'a partwhich extends between the flangesf3lj, 32. and together with flange is securedby rivetsand by the member 34 at the base of the registering notch prevents movement of the adjacent vane ends in a direction to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, it being understood that the runner structure or driven rotor is subjected to the action of centrifugal force as set forth in connection with the impeller structure. Rocking action of the vanes under the influence of such force is opposed at the inner vane ends by the member 34.

The impeller and runner structures at the dished, vaned sections provide a chamber for the circulation. of a fluid medium, such circuit including a fluid passagebetween adjacent vanes of each structure. In this type of coupling the runner is driven by flow of pressure fluid impelled thereto by the impeller structure, such fluid moving from the impeller to the. runner in .the region of. the outer diameter of thechamher and being returned. to the impeller in. the,

region of the chamberadjacent the innerldiameter thereof. That portion of the member. 34 which extends acrossjthe passages between adjacent vanes in the runner structure acts as a bafile to interrupt the flow of fluid from. the runner to the impeller whenv the coupling is operating under relatively high slipbetween. the impeller and runner, for example, when. theimpeller is rotatingata relatively lowspeed. Whenv While the retainer23 has the tongues 24 and. the member 34 has the tongues 35, all. arranged.

as aforesaid, neverthelesssuch tongues may be omitted from each and. the disposition of.- the vanes in the respective notches in engagement with the base thereof can. be relied upon to retain the innerends of the vanes against. displacement in response totendency. to rock under. the influence of centrifugal force as aforesaid.

The carrier and vanes of the impeller and runner structures are preferably formed-from sheet metal andfthe vane tabs at the outer diameter and at the intermediate location may be satisfactorily welded'to the carrier. However, inasmuch asthe spacing of; the vanes decreases from. a a mu a h ent iame er 6 he a ier m i ev t e n e d am er he space between adjacent vanes at the inner end so restricts the size of the tabs at this region that welding of the same to the carrier would not produce a strong tie therebetween due to the injurious effect of the welding operationon' this small tab. The tab at the inner end of the vanes provides a seat which rests on the carrier and while these tabs may as in the impeller structure be engaged by the tongues 26 of the retainer, such engagement is not necessary, as shown in the runner structure, and the tongues 36 thus may be utilized as the bafile.

The sleeve shaft is journalled at 31, receives the driven shaft 38, and is releasably connected thereto by a friction clutch, generally designated by the numeral 39, of the conventional type. When employed in a motor vehicle drive, for example, the driven shaft .38 may constitute the input shaft of a change speed mechanism, not shown.

Referring to Fig. 6, there is shown apparatus by which the vane retainer'23 is operated on to provide the tongues 24, to engage the tongues 25 with the respective vane tabs 22, and to flange the support l6 and retainer at the radial inner extremity thereof, to thereby produce the structural arrangement shown in Fig. 4. These operations are performed, the vanes [9 have been seated in the dished section of the support I6, the tabs 20, 2| have been welded to the support It, and the retainer 23 welded to the support IS. The forming apparatus includes a support or anvil, generally designated by the numeral 40, having a section 4! on which the driving rotor assembly is placed with the radially inner end portion of the support [6 overlapping the top face 42 of section 4| sufiicient to provide the flange I 8. The side face 43 of section 4| has a curvature which conforms to the curvature of the support It and engages therewith. In this assembly that portion of the retainer which overlaps the adjacent vane ends and provides the tongues 25, and that portion which provides the radial inner flange which overlaps the flange l8 both project beyond the respective opposite edges of the face 42.

The movable part of the apparatus includes a pressure pad and stripper 44 registering with the top face 42, a fianging punch 45 and a lancing punch 46. With the part 44 positioned as shown, the punch 45 is moved in a direction normal to face 42 to thereby flange the adjacent ends of the retainer 23 and support [6. The punch 46 has a lancing face 41 which registers with that extremity of the retainer which overlaps the adjacent ends of the vanes I 9, and which projects beyond the face 42. A plurality of slots 48 respectively register with a vane l9 and a combined support and spacer 49 is provided intermediate each pair of adjacent slots. When the punch 46 is initially positioned each vane is received in its registering slot 48 and is thereby properly located, a spacer 49 extending between each pair of adjacent vanes. As the punch 46 is moved the face 41 thereof presses the registering extremity of the retainer 23 against the inner vane ends to cause the latter to lance or out such extremity into tongues 24, which respectively engage the edges of the inner vane ends, and tongues 25 which are respectively deflected into the space between adjacent vanes and into engagement with the vane tab 22 in such space. During this lancing and deflecting operation the vanes l9 and support 3 react against the section 4| and the vanes are retained against deflection under the force of the punch 46 by the support spacers 49. The pressure pad and stripper is held in position until the punch 46 is retracted.

' Asheretofore pointedout, the driving'rotor is annular, .asshownin Fig; 2, and the forming apparatus above is likewise annular.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 7 for; operation onthe. driven r'otor'of the coupling is generally similarto that shown in Fig. 6. The rotor assem blyissupported by an anvil 50 andis held thereagainst. by .a pressure pad and stripper 5 I. lancingpunch 52 has a lancing face 53. adapted to engage with the extremity of the member 34 and .bypressing the. same against the' vane 21, lances or. cutsith'eportionso engaged to form tabs 35"which.overlie the vane edges and tabs 36 which are :defiected between adjacent vanes.

The lan'cingpunchhas slots 54 .respectively receivinga vanel2l and a combined support and spacer 55.'between each pair of adjacent vanes. Thervanes are thus-properly locatedland supported 'a'sin theli'ig. .6 showing. J

.The gauge: of metal and the physicall characteristics thereofiforthe vanes and the retainer, inboth coupling 'structures, are. so predetermined as to permit lancing .or cuttin'g'the. retainer by pressing the same against the vane faces when the vanes are positionedand supported as shown herein.

Although but :onespecific embodiment of the invention hasherein been shown and described, it will be understood thatvarious changes inthe size, shape and arrangementof -partsmay .be made without departing fromv the spirit. of the invention.

I claim:

-1. A fluid coupling element including a vane carrier having a dished section and an inner diameter and an outer diameter, a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced vanes seated in said dished section and secured to the carrier adjacent said outer diameter, said carrier adjacent said inner diameter defining in cross-section an axially opening channel, and a vane retainer secured to said carrier defining in cross-section an axially opening channel nesting said carrier channel and having a plurality of tabs in one channel flange thereof one extending into each space between adjacent vanes at said inner diameter and engaged with one of said adjacent vanes to restrain such vanes against movement under the influence of centrifugal force acting on said carrier during rotation 0 said one structure. I

2. A fiuid coupling element including a vane carrier having a dished section, a plurality of laterally spaced fluid passage forming vanes in said section, and means securing said vanes relative to said carrier including a retainer having spaced slots respectively receiving said vanes and a first series of tongues respectively abutting an edge of said vanes, and said retainer having a second series of tongues, circumferentially alternating with the tongues of the first series and respectively registering with the space between adjacent vanes and deflected from the plane of .the tongues of said first series into the said registering space between adjacent vanes, the tongues of said first series projecting radially beyond the tongues of the second series.

3. A fluid coupling element including a vane carrier having an annular dished section, a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced fiuid passage forming vanes in said section, each vane having a laterally projecting tab disposed between such vane and an adjacent vane and seated on said carrier, and means securin said vanes relative to said carrier including an 7: annular: retainer having. circumterentially. spaced slots respectively receiving said. vanes and. a. first series of tongues,..one between adjacent slots and extending; between adjacent vanesin overlapping abutting engagement. with the: tab between said.

adjacent. vanes, andisaid retainer having a second series of. tongues. alternating circumferentially. with. the tongues. ofthe first series and; respectively registering with. said. slots. and engaging an edge .of that vane in. said registering slot.

4. Av fluid coupling elementincluding an annular vane carrier. having a. central; opening and including. a. dishedsection extending around the opening and. a generally radially. disposed. part intermediate said-section and: opening, a plurality.

of. laterally. spaced: generally. radially disposed. vanes in. said, section, and. means securing said vanes relativetosaidcarrier including an annular retainer having at part thereof abutting. and

secured. to said radially disposed: carrier part, said retainer including. a. secondpartextending over anedge of saidvanesandhayinga plurality of slots. respectively. receiving. said. vanes and a deflected tongue extending laterally. inone direction relative to said: second retainer part. into each space between adjacent vanes and engaged with at least. one Qfsuchadiacent. vanes, and a. portion of: said retainer. extending generally laterally in. said: one direction into. said opening and engaging said carrier.- part..

5. A. fluid coupling. element including a vane carrier having an annular dished section, a plurality ofradially disposed laterally spaced vanes.

in said section, each vane having a tab. seated on the carrier and disposed in the space between suoh va'ne and'an adjacent vane, and means securing said vanes relative to said carrier including a retainer secured to said carrier and extending over and abutting an edge of said vanes, said retainer including a plurality of tongues deflected from the plane of the vane edges one into each spacedbetween adjacent vanes and folded over the tab in said space.

' OLAVI M. KOSKINEN.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

